Students with demonstrated academic competence who are interested in the field of public administration will be welcomed into the program regardless of undergraduate major. Click on the following for more information:

MPA Degree Requirements

The MPA degree program consists of 39 semester hours. Students may also be required to take up to nine additional hours of prerequisite courses, depending upon the background of the student.

I. Required Core Courses

• PLS 573 Policy Analysis

• PLS 576 Quantitative Methods for Political Science and Public Policy

• PLS 652 Public Personnel Management

• PLS 653 Management Techniques and Organizational Behavior

• PLS 655 Seminar in Public Management

• PLS 656 Financial Management in State and Local Government

• PLS 671 Seminar in Public Administration

Total 21 hours

II. Electives

The MPA candidate, in consultation with the advisor and with approval of the department head, shall choose one of the following four areas of concentration: Public Management, Public Policy, Local Government Planning, or Health Care Administration. Students will take the required courses for each area of concentration and will select other courses to fill out the elective requirements depending on whether the internship is waived and research option selected.

Total 9-18 hours.

III. Research Options

• Non-Thesis Option: Complete required Core courses and up to 18 hours of courses in student's chosen area of concentration
  

• Thesis Option: Complete required Core courses, PLS 699 Thesis (6 hours), and up to 12 hours of courses in student's chosen area of concentration

IV. Internship

• PLS 681 In-Service Training in Public Administration (3 hours)

Total 0-3 hours

Note: An internship may be waived for those students who are deemed to have sufficient work experience in the public sector by the Department's MPA Policy Committee.

V. Comprehensive Examination

The Director of the MPA Program will prepare and administer a written comprehensive examination covering the general field of public administration, reflected in the required Core courses offered. Students not performing at a satisfactory level will be required to pass a comprehensive oral examination administered by the MPA faculty. No student is eligible to take comprehensive examinations until all course requirements for the degree have been satisfied. The Comprehensive Examination requirement is not required for students choosing to pursue the Thesis Option.

Entrance Requirements:

All students applying for admission to the MPA program must submit recent Graduate
Record Examination scores and three letters of recommendation.  Applicants with at least a 3.0 grade point average in their under-graduate work and strong letters of recommendation from three undergraduate professors or persons well acquainted with the applicant's education and abilities will be admitted to the MPA program in good standing. These letters are to be submitted to the Director of the MPA Program.

Applicants with a GPA between 2.75 and 3.0 are required to achieve a minimum score
of 900 on the Graduate Record Examination, with a minimum score of 475 on either the
verbal or quantitative section and a score of not less than 425 on the other.

Prerequisite Courses:

The MPA program requires up to 9 hours of prerequisite courses, depending on the
background of the student. Students entering the program should have an undergraduate statistics course and some exposure to public administration and American politics. Students admitted to the MPA program from majors other than Political Science or Public Administration may be required to take Public Administration (PLS 255) and Seminar in American Politics (PLS 612), based upon the recommendation of the MPA Director. Students from all majors are required to take an undergraduate statistics course if they have not previously had one.

Graduate Assistantships:

The Department typically awards about five to six graduate assistantships per
year. All students applying for a graduate assistantship must have their GRE scores
(verbal and quantitative) on file at the time of application.  A stipend of $7,340 per
academic year and a waiver of tuition accompany the assistantship. Loans, part-time employment, and some cooperative education placements are also available.

Applying to the MPA Program

Individuals interested in applying to the MPA program may obtain an application from the Graduate College, Missouri State University, 901 S. National, Springfield, MO  65897 (417-836-5335), Carrington Hall, Room 306.  Downloadable forms and an on-line application form are provided below. 

Application for Graduate Admission        

• Application Form

• Application for International Students

Application for Graduate Assistantship (PDF Format)

Recommendation Letter Form (MS Word Format)

The steps are as follows: 

(1) Complete the Application form for Graduate Admission

(2) Take the GRE

(3) Submit 3 letters of recommendation (you may download the recommendation letter form above).  Send your letters to:  Kant Patel, Department of Political Science, Missouri State University, 901 South National Avenue, Springfield, MO  65897).

Meet Our Faculty  -- Watch Our Video Introduction

Faculty Web Pages:

• Kant Patel, Professor, MPA Director

• Mark Ellickson, Professor

• David Johnson, Assistant Professor

• James Kaatz, Associate Professor

• Yuhua Qiao, Associate Professor

• Mark Rushefsky, Professor

• Patrick Scott, Professor

Certificate of Public Management Option
 
The Department also offers a Certificate of Public Management.  This is an ideal program for individuals working in mid-level jobs that have not previously received professional training in public administration.  Click on the title above for more information. 

Accelerated MPA Option

Eligible majors in political science or public administration may pursue the MPA degree on an accelerated basis.  If you meet the GPA eligibility requirements, you can take up to four graduate courses that will count as Mixed Credit to both your undergraduate and graduate degrees.  This will allow you to finish both degrees in ten semesters and a summer.  Contact Kant Patel, the MPA Director, for further details.  


Alumni Information

Periodically the Department sends a newsletter and other useful information to our alumni. If you have not received a newsletter from us recently, or would like to update your information, please go to our Alumni Page. Tell us about your career and personal highlights.  We'd love to hear from you!

American Society for Public Administration (ASPA)
With a diverse membership of more than 10,000 scholars, practitioners, teachers and students, ASPA is the largest and most prominent professional association in public administration.  ASPA features a special category for students on its web site and publishes a free monthly electronic newsletter for students and new professionals.

Careers in Public Administration - Useful Resources|

MPA Graduate Student Handbook (PDF Format)

For additional information, please contact Dr. Kant Patel, MPA Director, at 
(417) 836-5925, or via email at kantpatel@missouristate.edu